Cold Coffee and Warm Kisses
by EmmaAriana
Summary: Basically, a Les Mis where Eponine and Enjolras don't die, and are instead a modern university couple. Pretty fluffy. It'll probably go on for a few more chapters, so keep tuning in!


Éponine's body was weary, as if she hadn't slept in three days. There were baggy rings of muted purple under her usually bright chestnut-coloured eyes. The glow that normally radiated from her olive skin had disappeared. She was shaking slightly; although whether it was from the cold or from her fifth latte, she didn't know.

Éponine normally had a sense of pride about her hair. It was the style and texture that every woman coveted. But her regularly windswept and shimmering soft black waves were now frizzy and unruly. A thin white tee-shirt clung to her body, highlighting her delicate curves even in this maddening hour. Her boyfriend's boxer shorts hung loosely on her hips.

It was safe to say that university had taken its toll on the young woman.

She was a bright girl, with a mind capable of doing many things, a hunger for education, and a passion for change. She excelled in her courses, but this success didn't come without a price. Her sacrifice? An embarrassing lack of a social life, and a 24-hour dedication to the program. After all, being a journalism student riding on a full scholarship was no walk in the park. Éponine's utter dedication to her studies often required long nights, illuminated only by the computer screen in front of her. After a few hours, she always became drowsy, and that's when the caffeine entered the picture. Coffee was Éponine's self-proclaimed addiction. On all-nighters, she would down up to six cups.

She knew it wasn't healthy, but what else could she do?

On this particular night, she was working on a rough draft for her upcoming radio debut. Yes, Éponine Thénardier was about to join the crew of the Columbia University campus radio show. The show drew in over ten thousand listeners per week, making it one of the most popular radio programs in the city. It featured music, pop culture updates, special guests, and upcoming events in the city. Éponine was going to join the crew of hosts for one month as part of her school-mandated work experience. And she was pretty damn excited when she got the news.

What she didn't know is that she would have to pull double the regular amount of all-nighters to prepare.

So, it was safe to say that the centre of Éponine Thénardier's life was her schoolwork. Well, that, and her boyfriend, Alexandre Enjolras. He was everything she needed, and he loved her unconditionally. The two young adults both shared an insatiable desire to make a difference and change the world. They had radical ways of thinking, and strong political views. Their first date, in fact, was the Occupy Wall Street movement. The two camped out in the park across the Financial District's main street for three days. Éponine and Enjolras (as she called him) ventured about the town with homemade signs declaring they wanted down with the one percent and that their voices would not go unheard.

It was in those three days that Éponine fell for Enjolras, hard.

He was a very handsome man. His eyes were electric blue, a colour that had the power to make Éponine weak at the knees. His pale skin was warm to the touch, which was a good thing, since trailing her fingers all over his body was one of her favourite pastimes. Enjolras' hair was a sandy shade of dark blonde, almost like ginger ale. His full lips were deliciously soft, and pure ecstasy to kiss. There was no part of this man that Éponine disliked, for in her eyes, he was an angel sent from God above.

Éponine had begun to doze off into the arm of the cushiony sofa. A loud "ping!" from her Facebook notifications jolted her awake.

"Wha-" she exclaimed, her eyes snapping wide open. She found the source of the noise, and with a groan, muted the computer's sound. She shook her head a few times to awaken herself. With a weary sigh, she realized that she wasn't even halfway through the draft.

Éponine reached for her coffee mug, only to find that the liquid had become lukewarm. She threw her head back and took a long sip of it, anyway.

"'Ponine?" came a voice. She nearly dropped the cup. Turning around, she found Enjolras looking back at her, still half-asleep. Her breath hitched. He wore nothing but a pair of boxer shorts, and his usually undone hair was even messier. It was incredible, really, how even after one and a half years together, he still had this effect on her.

"What are you doing up?" she asked him after she'd found her voice. He shot her a tired smile.

"I just kinda woke up and...well, you weren't there," he replied, his voice still gravelly with sleep. The small lamp on the coffee table gave off a soft glow, fully illuminating his chiselled chest. Éponine bit her lip.

"Oh. Well, I'll try to keep it down. You should get some sleep, babe." She turned to face him, her arms wrapped around her legs. It was unusually cold in the apartment tonight, but she couldn't really be bothered to fetch a blanket.

"Nah, I'm not really tired anymore, to tell the truth. Besides, you could use some company," he answered her, making his way towards the couch.

"You know you've got work tomorrow-" she began.

"But I've got you right now," he interrupted. Enjolras dropped onto the sofa next to her, taking Éponine's cold hands in his warm ones.

He brushed a piece of fallen hair out of her face. She shivered at his touch. He smirked at her reaction. Enjolras knew the effect he had on her, but to be fair, she had the exact same effect on him. With Éponine, nothing was ever enough. He craved her touch. He wished he could lie in bed with Éponine forever, just letting her run her soft fingers all over his skin.

Without hesitation, she leaned into him and gave him a chaste kiss. Eponine's arms found their way around his neck, hanging there loosely. Enjolras' arms snaked around her waist. He rubbed his hand against the small of her back, and she moaned in response.

"God, you need to relax," he murmured against her lips. She chuckled.

"You're not wrong," she answered, pulling back from his lips. "But that rough draft's not gonna write itself."

"I just wish you didn't have to kill yourself over this. You're going to be brilliant next week," Enjolras spoke quietly, a hint of pride apparent in his voice. It's not every day that your girl is accepted on to the team of the most popular radio show in New York City.

"I'm not scared about that, babe."

"Is that why you're planning ahead? I though you told me the dialogue was improvised," he smirked. She sighed.

"I just- I don't want anything to go wrong. It's my big break, you know? I can't afford to mess it up," Éponine replied, the familiar butterflies returning to her stomach. He snorted.

"Éponine Thénardier, I'll be damned if you aren't the wittiest and most entertaining girl that I have ever met. I guarantee that you are going to be amazing. And if you get nervous, just pretend you're talking to me. I'll be listening the whole time," he smiled. Her eyes sparkled, a bit of life returning to them.

"Really?"

"Really. The Musain boys and I are going to get together every lunch break, and we're going to listen to every minute of the show."

"Even if we play One Direction?" she asked with a wide grin.

"Especially if you play One Direction," he answered with an even wider smile. She burst into laughter, falling into his chest. Enjolras laughed with her, and they stayed like that for a long time.

"God, Éponine. You're frozen," he whispered. She half-smiled at this.

"Well, then, I guess you'd better warm me up," she whispered back to him.

Abandoning all self-restraint, Enjolras pulled her into him. His arms snaked around her waist, resting comfortably on her lower back. Without hesitation, she leaned closer and planted a loving kiss onto his lips. They moved as one, a sense of urgency starting to develop between them. His lips were soft and warm on hers. Enjolras could still taste the cinnamon that had been in Éponine's coffee. She tangled her fingers in his messy hair, pulling him even closer. He began to rub circles in the small of her back, making her moan once again. She planted soft little kisses down his jawline, her free arm wrapped loosely around his neck. Enjolras moved his mouth next to her ear, and bit the skin softly. He could hear her breath get caught in her throat. Éponine began to trail the soft pads of her fingers up and down his chest, making sure to feel every inch of his skin.

Enjolras pulled away suddenly.

"Let's move this elsewhere," he whispered against her ear, sending shivers down her spine. He got up off the sofa, and reached for her hand.

"In a minute," she replied. "Let me just take care of this first."

He nodded with a smile, and left in the direction of their bedroom. Éponine hovered her mouse over the big, red X at the top corner of her Word Document. She contemplated it for a moment, and hit the button. She closed the laptop, not even bothering to shut it down properly, and ran over to where Enjolras was waiting.

The rough draft that had kept her up all night suddenly seemed very insignificant.


End file.
